The Lictors Bring to Brutus the Bodies of His Sons, Jacques-Louis David
1789, oil on canvas
Paris, Musée du Louvre
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Liktoren bringen Brutus seine toten Söhne, Jacques-Louis David
1789, Öl auf Leinwand
Paris, Musée du Louvre
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The Lictors Bring to Brutus the Bodies of His Sons (French: Les licteurs rapportent à Brutus les corps de ses fils) is a 1789 painting by the French painter Jacques-Louis David in the Neo-Classical manner.
The work is housed in the Louvre in Paris.
The work had tremendous appeal for the time. Before the opening of the Salon, the French Revolution had begun. The National Assembly had been established, and the Bastille had fallen. The royal court did not want propaganda agitating the people, so all paintings had to be checked before being hung. David’s portrait of Lavoisier, who was a chemist and physicist as well as an active member of the Jacobin party, was banned by the authorities for such reasons. When the newspapers reported that the government had not allowed the showing of The Lictors Bring to Brutus the Bodies of His Sons, the people were outraged, and the royals were forced to give in. The painting was hung in the exhibition, protected by art students. The painting depicts Lucius Junius Brutus, the Roman leader, grieving for his sons. Brutus's sons had attempted to overthrow the government and restore the monarchy, so the father ordered their death to maintain the republic. Thus, Brutus was the heroic defender of the republic, at the cost of his own family. On the right, the Mother holds her two daughters, and the servant is seen on the far right, in anguish. Brutus sits on a klismos on the left, alone, brooding, but knowing what he did was best for his country. The whole painting was a Republican symbol, and obviously had immense meaning during these times in France.
Note Brutus' tense, crossed feet in the picture, the sharp scissors that lay dead in the center of the painting, and the use of light and dark to draw a distinction between Brutus and his wife. Brutus does not even look back as his headless sons are brought into the room.[1]
References
^ Schama, Simon. BBC documentary series: The Power of Art.
External links
David - The Lictors Returning to Brutus the Bodies of his Sons A video discussion about the painting from Smarthistory, Khan Academy.
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Les licteurs rapportent à Brutus les corps de ses fils est un tableau peint par Jacques-Louis David en 1789. Il représente le retour des corps des fils de Brutus. C'est leur père lui même qui décida leur exécution, après qu'ils eurent comploté pour rétablir la monarchie : en cela Brutus représente le dévouement sans faille à la République, au delà de tout intérêt d'ordre privé.
Historique de l'œuvre
Commande des Bâtiments du roi pour le Salon de 1787, le tableau est réalisé deux ans plus tard. Acheté 6 000 livres par le roi, il est exposé au Salon de 1789 et au salon de 1791. Appartient aux collections du Louvre depuis 1793.
Description
Le consul Brutus est assis sur sa chaise en bas à gauche dans l'ombre. Derrière lui, les licteurs défilent portant les corps des fils du consul, dont on aperçoit les pieds. À droite, la femme de Brutus et ses filles vues de profil pleurent la mort des jeunes hommes.
Contextes
Analyse du tableau
Une œuvre néoclassique
Les formes verticales et horizontales significatives du néoclassique sont présentes à travers les colonnes, les draperies, la civière et les corps des fils décapités. Il y a opposition entre les femmes qui pleurent, qui expriment leurs sentiments et la figure impassible de Brutus.
Notes et références
Annexes
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/", "http://fr.wikipedia.org/", "http://el.wikipedia.org/", "http://ru.wikipedia.org/"
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